young-son



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J .YOUNGSON.

AUTOMATIC FIRE ESCAPE AND ELEVATOR.

No. 533,404. Patented Jan. 29, 1895.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.-

J. YOUNGSON. AUTOMATIC FIRE ESCAPE AND ELEVATOR.

No. 533,404. Patented Jan. 29, 1895.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shee1'; 3.

J. Y OUNGSON. AUTOMATIC FIRE ESCAPE AND ELEVA No. 533,404.

Patente 29, 1895.

tlni'rnn STATES PATENT OFFrcgE.

JOHN YOUNGSON, OF HAMILTON, CANADA.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-ESCAPE AND ELEVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 533,404, dated January29, 1895. Application filed August 28,1894; Serial lib-621,551. (Nmodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN YOUNGSON, a citizen of Canada, residing atHamilton, in the county of Wentworth, in the Province of Ontario,Canada, have invented a new and useful Automatic Fire-Escape andElevator, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements inan automatic fire escape andelevator, in which mechanism,'stationed at the upper end of vertical andparallel columns which are applied mechanism consisting chiefly ofgovernors and friction wheel brakes; second, to afford facilities forthe proper adjustment and placement of the cage at any desired window oropening of a building whether ascending or descending; third, to reducethe friction of several operating parts, by reason of their freedom fromengagement at special operations; fourth, to introduce means pertainingto an applied cushion for the cage when heavily laden, and nearing theground floor; and fifth, to provide an automatic latch for, gate orgates of cage. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated inthe accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1, is a front elevation of myimproved automatic fire escape and elevator capable of holding a numberof people, therefore chiefly adapted to large buildings. The wroughtangle or bar iron braced columns which are secured to the wall arebroken in two places, in order to show thenpper mechanism and also thelower parts of the device. These columns may have any number of theseangle braces from top to bottom, and on every side, similar in positionand distance apart as those shown at the lower end of column, in Fig. 2of the drawings. Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the same device showingbraced perpendicular column secured to wallof building by means of oneor more bracket braces. ,Fig. 3, is an enlarged side elevation of theoperating and driving mechanism on the upper end of rigid column, thismechanism being composed of two parallel shafts in rigid bearings,provided with rigid casings for centrifugal friction governors, also thebrake wheel, double gear wheels and the central triple cable pulley fromwhich the cage, or receptacle, is suspended and vertically operated, theouter ends of said cables being attached to counterbalance weights. Fig.4, is a plan of Fig. 3. Fig. 5, is front elevation of right hand end ofstrengthening safety beam underneath the floor of the cage and cableattachment at the end thereof provided with bolt which operatesautomatically in case of breakage of cable. Fig. 6, is a side elevationof the same, and Fig. 7, is an elevation of said bolt showing recess insame for locking purposes. Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional elevation ofa central triple cable pulley and large gear or spur wheel in positionwith clutch or dog, and Fig. 9 is a face view of said cable pulleyhaving annular corrugations with which the clutch or dog engages, thebutt or large end of said clutch, fitting intoa recess which is formedin the hub of gear wheel. One or more of these clutches may be used ifnecessary, or other modes of driving, but these two views will besufficient to show the relation or conpection existing between saidpulley and gear wheel.

Similar letters and figures refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

A, is the upper cross brace of this escape and elevator and is supportedby and firmly secured to the top of the vertical and parallel angle orbar iron columns'B, their length shown broken which are secured to thewall of a building by one or more braces O, at a convenient distancetherefrom, so as to allow sufticient space for the proper working andoperation of the vertically sliding cage D,

provided with guide rollers D, which engage with the said columns. Thisupper cross brace A, has bearings, a, forming a part thereof, and intowhich run the two inner shafts E, and the two outer shafts F, one ofeach over each column, as seen in Fig. 1. Each said inner shaft E,supports and operates a central cable pulley G, having one or moregrooves for one or more cables. Each cable may be taken one or moretimes around said pulley, a friction brake wheel H, and a gear wheel I,and gear pinion J, which engage with the gear wheel L, and pinion K,onsaid shaft F. The said pulley G, and the spur wheel I, which runindependent of their shaft E, engage with each other by means of a common catch or clutch in the side of pulley next to wheel. Both said wheeland pulley revolve loose on, or without a sleeve on the shaft. When thecage descends all gears are in motion, and when the cage ascends empty,the cable pulley only, revolves, and when the cage ascends laden, thenpower is applied to the extended shaft F, to take up the load.

To comprehend the construction and operation of this device more fully Ideem it wise to specify more particularly one side only, that thesingular number may be employed, both sides of the device beingidentical, as seen in Fig. 1.

The rigid casing M, forming a part of or secured to the fixed bearing,a, contains centrifugal friction governors of approved constructionwhich revolve with the central shaft E.

In respect to operating the escape or elevator, when heavily laden withpeople or with merchandise, in ascending, the shaft F may be driven bypower located in the interior of the building into which the shaftextends. Said shaft may be provided with a clutch for connecting anddisconnecting, this being a very important feature in connection withthe gear wheels. Also a part of the rear of the upper cross brace A, isintended to be built in, or attached to the wallof building in order tostrengthen, and add stability to the upper part of the device in asubstantial manner.

The cable proper, N, of the device, which bears the whole weight of thecage, passes over the grooved pulley G, one or more times as beforementioned, one end of said cable being attached to a counterbalanceweight 0, and the other end of said cable is attached to the uprightconnection P which forms a part of the cage.

To strengthen the floor of the cage, a safety beam Q, is secured to theunder part thereof and is provided with a horizontal safety bolt R, inbearings 2 and 3 of said safety beam. The said upright connection P, towhich said cable N, is attached, is providedwith a lip 4 at its lowerend for support and strength, and a vertically slotted aperture 5 forsaid bolt, which has a gain 6. In case said supporting cable parts, theupright connection P, drops, thus releasing said bolt which is forcedout by spiral spring S, into and between the cross stays and angle sidesof column. This spring S, engages with bolt bearing 2 of beam andextension pin 7 of bolt; thus preventing the cage from dropping. Whenthe cage is descending,and the counterbalance weight ascending, at acertain distance up, which said distance is regulated by the distance ofthe cage from the ground floor, the upper part of counter balanceengages with the upper projection 8, of piston slide T, having lowerprojection 9, which is secured to the vertical piston rod U, of verticalair cylinder V, which is attached to the upper outer end of saidvertical column. This important element prevents any sudden jar orcontact of the lower part of cage with ground floor; and moreover, thisaction of the air cushion allows a very easy descent at the terminationthereof.

In order to prevent a too rapid descent of the cage at any stage ofoperation, and especially when heavily laden another important elementis introduced, namely, the friction brake wheel, seen very fully in Fig.1, of the drawings. This brake wheel H, before alluded to is secured toshaft E, and revolves with said shaft, and the hand lever W, pivoted at10 to wall, in close proximity to ground floor is provided with a cablepulley for cable X, each end of said cable being fastened to the ends ofrigid cross arm of lever 15 and when the lever W is adjusted to verticalposition it draws the double cable X, which is capable of running overpulley 11, and looped over the central connection of the levers Z, andover the cable guide pulley Y down, through the cable guide pulley Y,also pivoted to the wall. Consequently, the central connection of doublelevers Z, to which the upper loop of double cable X is looped, is drawnup, the loop of said cable X engaging with the grooved pulley 11, instandard 12, the result being, that the horizontal rods 13, which slidein standards 16 engage with the brake wheels H. The ends of these rods13 are supplied with concaved faced brakes 14, which engage with theface of said brake wheels, thus facilitating the stopping of same, andalso the cable pulleys G.

The lever 15 having angle cross arm to which ends of cable T areattached is located and pivoted in the cage and operates the cable Xidentically as the lever W; it being obvious that the said brakes 14,may be applied to the wheels H, and operated either from the groundfloor, or from the interior of the cage.

The cage D has its upper part (1, extended and forming a framework somedistance perpendicularly above the cage proper, to allow cage to touchthe ground floor if desired when the columns are some eight feet fromthe ground, and also extendinginward, at right angles, toward the wallof building. This right angled and braced extension maybe used for thepurpose of opening different kinds of projecting and sliding screenswith which the windows of buildings may be covered, when the cage isascending, and of closing said screens when the cage is descending. Thislatter is important so as to keep the people from falling from thewindows when the cage is descending. The small guide rollers or pulle sD are ivoted to the cage at convenient places to suit the requirementsof large or small escapes, and the said rollers are intended to runagainst either side or partially between the angle orbar irons whichform the columns.

The one or more gates 20 of the cage hinged at 17, are latchedautomatically. Each gate is provided with a convex friction bar 18,which when ascending or descending engages with a projecting bar 19attached to the column at a convenient place or places, that when thebar 18, engages with the rigid bar 19, the gate is forced to its closedand latched position. In order to secure perfect safety to the people inthe cage, this safety device is necessary especially to very highbuildings.

To these ends my improvements consist, in its novel construction andadaptation of parts, and in combination especially forheavy work andhigh buildings such as national and public institutions, factories,warehouses, hotels and large high stores in general.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic fire escape and elevator, the combination of thecross brace A, the rear part extending through the wall of building andsupported on angle or bar iron columns B, and provided with shaftbearings, a, shaft E, and shaft F, gear wheels I and K engaging withtheir pinions, the rigid governor casing M, the grooved cable pulley G,with cables N, secured to cage D., substantially as described.

2. The combination of the cross brace A, having bearings a, andsupported on columns B, the shafts E and F revolving with their gearwheels and pinions in said bearings the governor casing M, the cablepulley with cables N, attached to upright connection P, of safety beamQ, attached to cage and provided with bolts R, in {bearings 2, thespiral springs S, and the counterbalance weights 0 attached 'to saidcable, substantially as described.

3. The braced columns B, secured to wall of building by braces G, thecross brace A, secured to said columns, and provided with hearing at,having their shafts E and F with gear wheels and pinions, the governorcasing M, the grooved pulley G, having one or more cables N, thecounterbalance 0 attached to end of said cable in combination with thecage D, attached to other end of cable by means of slotted connection P,having lower lip 4 engaging with safety beam Q, of said cage, the boltR, and the spring S, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the columns supporting the upper cross bracehaving bearings for shafts E, with cable pulley and cable,

the cage with guide rollers and counterbalance attached to ends of saidcable, the governor casing M, rigid with said bearing, the brake wheelsH, revolving with said shafts, the lever W, near the ground with cablepulley attached and the lever having cross arm, pivoted in the cage, thepulley Y, the double cable X, looped and passed over pulley 11 inbearing 12 and attached to central pin of double levers Z, thehorizontal rods 13, in bearings 16, and the concaved brakes 14,substantially as described.

5. The combination of the air cylinders V, secured .to upper and outersides of columns B, and provided with pistons and rods U connected toslides T at 9 having projections 8 in which the counterbalance Oengages, the cage- D provided with safety beam Q with its connections P,bolts R, and springs S, the cables N, the cross brace having bearings,and secured on said columns, the shafts E, cable pulleys G, governorcasings M, the brake wheels H, the horizontal rods 13 having frictionbrakes 14, in bearin gs 16, the double levers Z, the cable pulley H,cables X, bearings 12,1ever 15, pulley Y and lever W, substantially asdescribed.

6. The combination of the cage D, having braced upper extension d,provided with hinged doors having-bowed projections 18, to engage withadaptable projections 19, attached to vertical columns at suitablepositions to accomplish the closing of said gates, substantially asdescribed.

'7. The combination with the cage D, having hinged doors, of the safetybeam Q, secured to said cage, and provided with bearings 2 and 3 forhorizontal bolt R, having pin 7, and spring S, and the cable connectionP, having vertical slot 5, and under lip 4, sub-. stantially asdescribed.

8. The lever W, pivoted to the lower part of wall and provided withcable pulley, the cable pulley Y, pivoted to wall, the cross arm lever15 pivoted inthe cage D, the double'cable X, the cable pulley 11 inbearings 12, said cable looped to the connecting pin of double levers Z,the rods 13 in bearings 16, the brakes 14, in combination with the brakewheels H on shafts E of upper cross brace A, substantially as described.

9. The combination of the verticalcolumns B,and the air cushioncylinders V, having piston rods U with vertical connecting slide T,having upper projections 8 to engage with counterbalance 0, attached tocables N, of pulley G, substantially as described.

JOHN YOUNGSON.

Witnesses:

WM. MYERS, JOHN H. HENDING.

